


nothing special

by 49percentchanceofbees



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Related, Comfort, Extended Scene, Gen, alternate perspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 09:36:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13478691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/49percentchanceofbees/pseuds/49percentchanceofbees
Summary: On the rooftop of the Three Z's motel in Old Lestallum, Prompto confides his feelings of inadequacy in Noctis, and Noct attempts to comfort him.





	nothing special

**Author's Note:**

> I just got the cutscene in-game where Prompto tells Noct about his insecurities, and, well, I wished the "Comfort him" option had been a bit more expansive, so I made it so.

“I don't think you're a loser.” Noct spoke quietly, with his typical lack of emphasis, staring down at the pavement below.

 

Prompto forced a smile. “It’s OK. You don't have to try to make me feel better.”

 

“I’m not.” The words’ flat tone was unemotional, almost cold, as if the prince were simply presenting obvious facts, regardless of how they might make Prompto feel. “You said you don’t deserve a place here because you don’t have anything special, but that’s not true. You’re smart, a brilliant shot, good with animals -- and beyond that, you’re so … bright. You light up everyone around you. With your enthusiasm, your -- I don’t know, I’m not good with words.”

 

Noct broke off, his voice gone from cool to heated, and looked at Prompto with a startling intensity in his eyes, almost a request, as if asking his friend to reach into his mind and find whatever he couldn’t say.

 

“I …” Prompto said, because some response seemed necessary, even if his brain was completely empty at the moment. And then a ringing tone rose from somewhere in the back:  _ Fooled another one _ . He’d crafted his lighthearted facade so well that even Noct couldn’t see through it, despite being told exactly where to look.

 

Noct shook his head, looking away. “But I don’t think that’s even … the thing. It’s … you don’t have to earn anything, Prompto. At least, none of the rest of us see it like that. We’re not … tallying points every day to see if you deserve a seat in the Regalia.”

 

_ Oh, gods, that image’s going to be with me all the time now. Thanks, Noct. _

 

“You’re here because you’re our friend, and we care about you, and you don’t have to do anything to … ‘earn’ that.” Noct waved a hand, as if frustrated.  _ Me and my stupid worries -- as if he doesn’t have enough on his plate _ . And it didn’t really help, either: Where else was Prompto supposed to look for a sign that he was doing OK, if they would’ve kept him in the car even if he were dumb and useless as a brick?

 

“Thanks,” Prompto said, anyway. “I … appreciate it.”

 

He wasn’t sure if he was lying. He wasn’t sure of anything at the moment.

 

“Hey, what are friends for?” Noctis said, wearily, sounding a bit like he’d exhausted his ability to speak from the heart and had nothing left but cliches. “I’m glad you’re here, Prompto. Thanks for coming.”

 

“No problem!” A smile rose automatically to Prompto’s face, sudden brightness in his voice; he could feel himself slipping back into his shell without even really meaning to, he was so used to it by now. He made a conscious effort to speak past it: “Thanks for listening, Noct. This was … nice. And I’m so happy to be here.”


End file.
